Police recovered a James Bond-inspired Faberge pendant Thursday after a thief allegedly swallowed the item inside an Auckland, New Zealand jewelry store.
New Zealand Police (NZP) recovered the pendant after it exited the 32-year-old suspect’s gastrointestinal tract without any medical assistance six days after he allegedly swallowed it, The Associated Press (AP) reported, citing the agency. The pendant, valued at $19,000 in U.S. currency, took inspiration from the 1983 James Bond film, “Octopussy,” which references a fake Faberge egg and a jewel-smuggling operation.
NZP recovered the pendant, its gold chain and its price tag intact from the alleged thief. Authorities arrested the suspect in connection with the alleged theft Nov. 28 inside Partridge Jewelers in Auckland. The suspect appeared in court on Nov. 29 but did not submit a plea to the theft charge. He remains in police custody and officers were observing him to await for the reemergence of the item he allegedly stole. The unidentified suspect is scheduled to appear Monday in Auckland District Court.
Inspector Grae Anderson told the AP on Dec. 3 that the suspect underwent a medical assessment after he allegedly swallowed the pendant and remained under supervision.
“Given this man is in police custody, we have a duty of care to continue monitoring him, given the circumstances of what has occurred,” Anderson said.
The pendant is a limited edition object, according to Partridge Jewelers.
“The hand-crafted Fabergé x 007 Limited Edition Octopussy Egg Object is limited to just 50 numbered pieces worldwide and stands at 8.4cm tall, crafted from 18ct yellow gold and hand-painted with a rich green enamel, carefully selected for its similarity to the enamel used on the Fabergé egg featured in the film Octopussy. The egg object has been set with 183 white diamonds, and 2 blue sapphires,” a description of the pendant on the website reads. (RELATED: Bird Smashes Reporter In Face During Segment To Leave Her Bloody Mess)
This is not the first time the suspect has been accused of theft, according to charging documents obtained by the BBC. The suspect allegedly took an iPad from the same jewelry outlet on Nov. 12 and stole cat litter and flea control items valued at over $57 from a private address the next day.
An NZP spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Caller via email that the pendant had been recovered without any medical intervention.
“No medical intervention was required, and the pendant passed naturally,” the spokesperson said.
